Vascular and Interventional Radiology

Interventional Radiology professionals use their experience in performing diagnostic radiography, ultrasound and MRI scans to insert instruments in the body in order to make a diagnosis or treat different types of lesions.

It is possible to avoid certain types of surgery by providing treatment through the blood vessels or via direct puncture in certain organs.  Interventional Radiology interventions are often performed as outpatient procedures using local anesthetic, although some cases require hospitalization and general anesthesia.

At Hospitales Universitarios San Roque, Intervencionalist Radiology is used in a wide variety of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, such as, for instance:

• Arteriography or angiography.
• Angioplasty, thrombolysis and insertion of endovascular implants (these have replaced several other surgical techniques to prevent embolisms and strokes).
• Aneurysms of the abdominal aorta.
• Intentional embolization or occlusion of blood vessels, used in some cases to limit irrigation of cancerous tumors. 
• Drainage of abscesses.
• Biliary drainage, which consists of alleviate the obstruction of the bile ducts caused by benign or malignant processes.
• Catheterization of the urinary tract in order to alleviate obstruction caused by stones or tumors.
• Vertebroplasty or injecting cement inside the vertebrae in order to stabilize fractures and control the resulting pain. 
• Diagnosis of tumor lesions and biopsies in almost any organ without the risk associated with performing surgery to take tissue samples.
• Administration of special drugs through central catheters.
• In some cases of vein thrombosis, inserting filters in order to block dangerous clots from passing through. 
• Stents.